Top 3 assets Miami Heat can use to bolster their squad in the 2021 NBA offseason
After a forgettable campaign, the Miami Heat will be frequently mentioned in NBA trade rumors during the offseason as they look to keep pace with the Eastern Conference's top three sides. Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo are the team's two biggest stars, but to reach another NBA Finals, they may need to add a third All-Star caliber player.
In this article, we will identify three of the organization's assets that could be moved in order to help bolster their roster and make them competitive at the top again.
Three Miami Heat players that could be on the move this summer
The Miami Heat squad's performance in this year's postseason was a far cry from their impressive run to the Finals in the 2020 playoffs. Coach Spoelstra's side were swept by the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round. However, it is not all doom and gloom for fans of the three-time champions. If the cap space projection of $112m holds, the Heat could have as much as $20m or more to use in the market.
While they don't have a draft pick this year, they do have a number of future selections that could be bundled together in a trade package. Furthermore, they have several assets they could move to create room for a big name player.
All of this equates to it being a busy offseason for the Miami Heat front office.
#3 Goran Dragic
Despite his hefty contract, Goran Dragic could be an enticing asset for the Miami Heat to include in any potential trade scenario. The 35-year-old still has a lot to give as either a starting or backup point guard. He averaged 13.4 points and 4.4 assists in 26 minutes per game during the 2020-21 campaign and was influential in the Heat's playoff run last year where he put up 19 points a night.
Dragic has been an excellent player for the Miami Heat, however, using him to match salaries in a big trade might be more useful to the team in the long-run.
By picking up their team option, the Heat would be able to utilize the Slovenian's worth in the market to tempt another franchise who are looking to improve their guard depth in the short-term without having to commit to a lengthy contract. The likes of the Dallas Mavericks and Denver Nuggets could benefit from an upgrade at point guard.